Little Compton Manor House And Attached Wall

Little Compton Manor House and Attached Wall

A manor house of early 16th-century origins, substantially remodelled in 1620, with further alterations and additions dating from the late 17th century, 18th century, and 20th century. The building is historically notable as the former home of William Juxon, Archbishop of Canterbury.

The principal structure is built of squared coursed limestone to the front and rear with ashlar quoins and coped gables finished with moulded ball finials. The west wing is constructed of coursed rubble with a moulded string course forming part of the first floor. Stone-slate roofs are topped with moulded stone ridge and end stacks, together with projecting lateral stacks. The building originally followed a U-shaped plan and now rises to three storeys plus an attic storey.

The front elevation displays a five-window range composed of windows of 2, 3, and 4 lights with ovolo-moulded mullions, possibly restored to original form in the 20th century. All mullioned windows carry hood moulds and labels. Blocked windows of 17th-century date are visible in the internal angle of the east wing, one retaining its hood mould and labels. The principal ground-floor doorway to the centre of the front elevation features a heavily-moulded surround and a moulded broken pediment bearing a cartouche of arms, likely restored in the 20th century. The door itself is of 17th-century date, constructed of panelled oak with a carved semi-circular top panel.

The west wing is of earlier origin and incorporates buttresses to its centre and north-west angle. It contains a 4-light ovolo-moulded mullioned and transomed window, together with 2- and 3-light windows with ovolo-moulded and plain-chamfered mullions to the first and second floors. A full gabled dormer with a 2-light mullioned window retaining original leaded lights projects from the roof. The rear elevation of the west wing exhibits further 2- and 3-light mullioned windows with ovolo and plain-chamfered mouldings, along with a blocked mullioned and transomed opening and three further blocked openings below. A 4-centred arched doorway with chamfered edges provides access to the cellar, accompanied by a chamfered light opening immediately to its right.

The east wing incorporates further ovolo-moulded mullioned windows, those within gabled dormers being transomed. Two 18th-century thirty-pane sash windows with moulded surrounds occupy the ground floor; the right-hand sash may replace an earlier mullioned and transomed window. A single 12-pane sash with moulded surround appears on the first floor. The northern section of the east wing dates to the early 16th century and contains a 3-light plain-chamfered mullioned and transomed window to the ground floor, alongside 2-light and single-light windows, with a 20th-century projection to the first floor. A 3-storey range projecting eastward contains further 3-light mullioned windows, that on the second floor being hollow-chamfered. The rear elevation and west-facing internal angles of the east wing display 3-light plain-chamfered mullioned and transomed windows, some restored. A 3-light mullioned window surmounts an original iron-sheeted door bearing decorative iron hinges and lock.

Lead rain-water heads to the south, east, and west elevations are inscribed in bas relief with "O-/ANDO/1620" and feature decorative elements below. A large 3-storey stone range was added to the north in 1927 in imitative style, containing mullioned and mullioned and transomed windows. An attached wall extending southward from the south-east corner of the east wing dates to the 18th century and measures approximately 20 metres in length by 3 metres in height. Constructed with a stone plinth and brick laid in Flemish garden wall bond above, the wall incorporates a plank and muntin door with moulded surround towards its northern end.

The interior preserves significant features of considerable architectural interest. The ground floor of the 16th-century north-east wing, formerly the kitchen, retains the original 16th-century roof structure. This comprises heavily-moulded spine beams crossed with smaller but identically-moulded beams and small similarly-moulded joists. The ceiling is surrounded by a heavily-moulded wood cornice. A large 4-centred arched stone fireplace with ogee and ovolo-moulded surround featuring moulded stops dominates the space. The floor is stone-flagged. A restored 16th and 17th-century plank door is also present.

The first floor of the north-east wing, known as the Juxon Room, is lined with late 16th-century moulded panelling, some of which retains original cock-head hinges. It contains a 4-centred arched stone fireplace with moulded surround and panelled overmantel.

The 1620 hall in the central range features contemporary panelling rising to the ceiling on the east wall. A 4-centred arched stone fireplace with hollow and ogee-moulded surround occupies the west wall, topped with a 20th-century overmantel in Jacobean style. The floor is stone-flagged.

Adjacent to the central hall, a room to the east is lined with late 16th-century moulded panelling of exceptional quality, featuring heavily carved pilasters and frieze decorated with floral and foliage motifs and lion heads. Simple 4-centred arched fireplaces with chamfered surrounds are distributed throughout the house.